Electric indicator for hot jo u rnal-boxes



. E L K O 0 H G B W ELECTRIC INDICATOR FOR HOT JOURNAL BOXES.

No. 557,650; Patented Apr. 7, 1896.

@ Q M y k fiwaa, 313 L5 om 121 2 SheetsShee1; 2

W. B. GHOGKLEY. ELECTRIC INDICATOR FOR HOT JOURNAL BOXES.

Patented Apr. '7, 1896.

No Model.)

/4 E 7 mli l l'm=r W gal 2 xv 9 7 \W w 20- L 1 I I I'IHF m1 zzzz a Iii:l ga T imeooeo awuawlio'c 64mm 5 Maud/55% v -4L-Gbt014tj we a 6 7 7manna EGRAHAM.FHOTO-UTHDWASHINEYONJL NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM B. CHOCKLEY, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

ELECTRIC INDICATOR FOR HOT JOURNAL-BOXES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 557,650, dated April 7,1896.

Application filed March 15, 1895- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. CHOCK- LEY, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe andState of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectric Indicators for Hot J ournal-Boxes; and I do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

My invention relates to an electric alarmindicator for journal-boxes,and comprises a device for electrically indicating a hot box, and anannunciator comprising a bell-alarm and heat-indicator located at adistant point (office or engine-room) from the machinery.

My invention is applicable to all classes of high-speed machinery, suchas dynamos, steam-en giues, both land and marine, railwaytrainaxle-boxes and wrist-pins, (to. I attain these objects by the mechanismillustrated and described in the accompanying drawings andspecification, in which- Figure 1 represents a sectional elevationthrough a journal-box and shaft and through that portion of my inventionwhich is connected thereto, and also an outline of the circuit system.Fig. 2 represents a section through the indicating device, showingitarranged to register at the annunciator the degree of heat at thejournal-box. Fig. represents two views of details of construction of thecontactingterminals. Fig. l represents an enlarged view of thecircuitbreaking mechanism shown on a small scale in Fig.

Similar letters and figures of reference refer to similar partsthroughout the several views.

Referring to Fig. 1, A designates a shaftbearing, which in this viewforms part of the machine bedplate. B designates a cap, and O the shaft.D designates a glass tube formed, preferably, with an enlarged portionor bulb D at the bottom. In this tube is confined a quantity ofexpansive fluid E, preferably mercury. The top of the tube is sealed bya cap F, which may be attached to it in anysuitable A reduced extensionG on the top manner.

Serial No. 541,907. No model.)

is provided with a threaded binding-screw H, which extends into acentral perforation made in said cap, in which is ad justably fitted tomove longitudinally in the cap a conducting contact-plug I. (See Fig.2.)

I provide the plug with a central perforation I, which extends somedistance into it, and which is adapted to receive one end of acircuit-wire J. There are a number of ways in which the plug can be madeadjustable in the cap. In Fig. 2 it is adapted to slide up and downthrough the cap, the binding-screw projecting into its center holethrough a slot K out through its shell. By keeping it well lubricatedwith oil it can be practically fitted tight and still be moved in thecap. Directly above the plug I show a fragment L of a similar plug,except that it is provided with an exterior thread. It has also a squareend adapted to receive a wrench. The bindingscrew H is threaded in thissquare instead of through the hub of the cap. If the plug is made inthis manner, which is preferable, the hole through the cap will have tobe internally threaded, in which case the plug would screw in and out ofthe cap.

M designatesa socket. Itis constructed of non-conductive material and isadapted to surround and protect the glass tube. It is also adapted andarranged to afford means of making one or several electric circuitconnections with the mercury and the annunciator, as will be hereinafterexplained.

In Fig. 2 I show a straight glass tube containing mercury, surrounded bythe socket M. At diiferent points in its height the socket is providedwith several projections N. These projections have a hole through themof preferably two diameters, the largest of which is threaded, (see Fig.3,) in which two views of this projection and the contact-terminals ofthe socket and tube are shown, one of which is a sectional fragment ofthe tube and socket and the other a fragment of -a socket in elevation.

In Fig. 3 the plug O, which with the other parts is a duplicate of allthe project-ions, is fitted to screw into and extend through theprojection. Its outer end is squared for the reception of a wrench. Ahole P is drilled into it to receive one end of a circuit-wire which isplaced in it and secured by the binding-screw Q. In the walls of theglass tube are secured pole-pieces S. They are arranged in position toregister with the plugs when the tube is in the socket. I preferablyform the pole-pieces with an enlarged circular collar T, which enablesit to be firmly secured in the glass. After the glass tube is insertedin the socket the plugs are adjusted to contact with them by screwingthem through the projections.

In Fig. 1 but one projection is shown on the socket. This is placed highenough to allow the socket and tube to be inserted in a hole drilled inthe oil-cup of the cap, or in a hole drilled in any other convenientplace, which would bring the bottom of the tube close to the shaft. Theopposite end of the terminal wire J is connected to the plug 0 in thisproj ection by the binding-screw Q. This circuit leads to an annunciatorU, which, with a battery U, is also placed in the circuit. The device asrepresented in Fig. 1 is adapted to ring an alarm-bell 5 in theannunciator, but as arranged in Fig. 2 it will register at thejournal-box and also at the annunciator upon suitable dials the degreeof heat at the j ournal-box until it reaches the danger-point. Igraduate the glass tube in a manner similar to that shown, cutting aslot U in the socket to enable the graduations to be seen. I alsograduate the face of the dials U U and U at the annunciator tocorrespond to the graduations at the contact-points of the tube.

From the plugs O and S of the lower projection N of 2 I run a wire V toan electrode or stationary contact \V in the annunciator. From thesecond projection H I run a wire V to the rock-arm contact X, which ispivoted on a pivot XX. This rock-arm is also a conductor. In the wire V,I place a battery Y.

Z designates a magnet arranged in operative relation to the rock-arm X.From this magnet Z, I run a shunt-wire 4 to the main wire V and alsoanother wire 9 to the stationary terminal 10. The upper projection N isconnected by a wire Xto a second rockarm 1, which is also a conductorand is pivoted to a pin 2. The rock-arm is provided with two arms Z andZ The horizontal arm Z, which is constructed similar to the horizontalarm X of arm X, is normally in contact with the terminal 10. I place asecond magnet Z in make-and-break relation to the vertical arm Z of therock-arm 1, and from it I run a shunt-wire Z to the main wire X, and asecond wire U from said magnet Z to the cap-terminal contact-plug I. Inthe wire U", I place a battery UU. This completes the circuits and themake-and-break contacts by which they are cut in and out by the mercuryrising in the tube.

1 will now describe how the circuits are arranged, made, and broken, andwill then describe how each circuit transmits a portion of its currentto the dial, which is connected with it and which records the degree ofheat in the tube at the j ournal-box but it must be understood that themechanism in the dials, by which the pointers are moved from point topoint by the current, does not form any part of my present invention. Iwill now describe the first circuit made by the rise of the mercury inthe tube. As the journal-box heats the mercury rises in the tube fromits present position until it contacts with the plugs S and O of thesecond projection N IVhen this takes place, a circuit is formed by anelectric current flowing from the battery Y through the wire V to therock-arm X, to which it is connected. At the rock-arm I preferablydivide the current and cause a portion of it to flow through thehorizontal arm X of the rock-arm to the terminal IV and a portion to beshunted by wire 11 to the magnet 13, which connects the two. Although itis not essential to the working of the circuits to so divide thecurrent, as I explain hereinafter, in order to divide the current at therock-arm and prevent allof it from passing through the rock-arm to theterminal IV, I place a resistance 20 in the rockarm intermediate of theconnecting-point of the wire V to it and the end of the horizontal arm XThis resistance consists of a material of lower conductivity than thematerial of which the rockarm is made, which acts to retard or dam upits flow and to divide it, causing a portion of it to flow through therock-arm and a portion to be shunted over wire 11 to the magnet 13. Itis not necessary that the current be equally divided and it isimmaterial which way the larger portion flows. Now if the part 20 of thehorizontal arm X were a perfect insulation between the wire V and theend of said rock-arm the current would go direct to the magnet 13 andreturn over wire 12 to the part 20 and be shunted over the shunt-wire 21to the end of the horizontal arm of rock-arm. Consequently, as far asthe circuits are concerned, the portion 20 of the arm X may be either aresistance or an insulation; but the advantage to be derived fromconveying a portion of the current through the rock-arm and shunting thebalance to the magnet-is that it makes the circuits between the tubesand rock-arms independent of the circuits between said rock-arms and themagnets which operate the indicating mechanism, and if the circuitbetween the rock-arm X and the magnet 13 is broken the circuit betweenthe rockarm and the tubes is still open, and if a box should heat itwill, when the mercury rises to the second projection of the tube,excite and open the second circuit, which would immediately indicate tothe engineer the degree of heat through its magnet and indicatingmechanism of the box, providing the circuit between its rock-arm 1 andits magnet 15 were in working order. Consequently I preferably make thepoint 20 of the rock-arms a resistance. A portion of the current fromwire V then flows through the horizontal arm X to the terminal IV andover the wire V to the projection N, through the mercury to theprojection N and up the wire V to the battery Y, thus completing thefirst circuit, while the remainder of the current is shunted to themagnet 13 over wire 11 and returns by wire 12 to the resistance 20 andis shunted by wire 21 to the end of the arm X and unites with thecurrent that flows through the rock-arm back to the battery Y. Shouldthe mercury drop below the projection N owing to the cooling of thejournal-box, this circuit would be broken; but assuming that the journalcontinues to heat, then the mercury will continue to rise in the tube,and when it reaches the third projection N and contacts with its plug Sanother circuit is made, and for about a second there are two circuits,but in a second the first circuit is broken.

I will now describe the manner in which the second circuit is made andthe first broken. The instant the mercury touches the plug S of theprojection N a mild current is shunted from the battery Y and wire Vthrough the shunt-wirelinto the magnet Z. It flows from the magnetthrough the wire 9 to the terminal 10 and from it to the horizontal armZ of the rock-arm 1, and through the rock-arm to and through the wire Xto the projection N and through the mercury to the projection N and upthe wire V to the battery Y. Consequently whatever current flows throughthis second circuit at the first second of its existence is shunted fromthe battery and wire V from the current of the first circuit, which isnot yet broken, and the wire V, the battery Y, and the projection N isused momentary for both circuits. This state of afiairs does not last,however, but for a second, because the shunted current from wire V tothe magnet Z excites the magnet and it attracts the vertical arm X ofthe rock-arm X to it, which raises its horizontal arm X from theterminal IV and thereby breaks the current which has been flowing fromthe battery Y through this arm and wire V to the projection N, andconsequently breaks the first circuit. All the current of the battery Ynow flows through the second circuit, which comprises the projections Xand N and their wires V and X, the magnet Z, the wire 9, the terminal10, and the arm Z, the lower projection and its wire V being completelyout out. If the mercury continues to rise in the tube until it reachesthe cap-terminal I, then a third circuit is made through the mercurybetween the cap-terminal I and the projection N and the second circuitis broken.

I arrange the third circuit similar to the second, except that I place abattery UU in the wire U as the battery Y and its wire V will be cut outwhen the second is broken. The

instant the mercury touches the cap-terminal I a new or third circuit isformed by a current flowing from either one or both batteries Y or UUthrough the shunt-wire Z, the magnet Z the wire U, the cap-terminal I,the mercury, the projection N and the wire X. Probably all or nearly allof the current would flow from the battery UU in wire U", as it is muchnearer to the magnet Z The magnet is excited by this battery, whichattracts the vertical arm Z of the rock-arm 1, which operates to raisethe horizontal arm Z from the terminal 10, and thereby cuts out thebattery Y and wire V and also the projection N thus breaking the secondcircuit. There are consequently two circuits over the wire X for aninstant when the mercury first contacts with the cap-terminal I. IVhenthe bearing cools, the mercury falls and leaves the cap terminal,thereby breaking the third circuit, and the second circuit isreestablished by the arm Z falling back on the terminal 10, which itdoes the minute the third circuit is broken, as the magnet loses itspower to hold the vertical arm 2 of the rock-arm 1, and if the mercuryfalls below the third project-ion N the second circuit is broken in asimilar manner. The object of these circuits is to register on suitabledials in the annunciat-or the degree of heat of the j ournal-box as eachcircuit is made by the rise of the mercury in the tube. To accomplishthis, I connect each circuit to the mechanism and pointers 3 of the dialin such a manner that each circuit will move the pointer of its dial tothe graduations on the dial corresponding to the graduations on the tubeat the height of the mercury at and above the second projection N Toaccomplish this, Irun two wires 11 and 12 from the rock-arm X to amagnet 13 in the dial U and when the mercury rises to the projection Nand makes the first circuit a small portion of the current of,

this circuit is shunted or runs direct on wire 11 from the rock-arm tothe magnet 13. The current returns from the magnet 13 on line 12, whichterminates in a resistance 20 in the lever X, which is adapted to causethe current to flow more readily over wire 11 to the magnet 13 thandirectly through the rock-arm. A shunt-wire 21 then conveys the currentfrom wire 12 to the contact terminal end of the arm X, from which itflows through contact \V and wire V. The magnet 13 draws through themedium of suitable mechanism the pointer 3 of the dial to the 200 pointon the dial and holds it there as long as the circuit is unbroken,indicating to the engineer in charge that the journal-box has heated tothat degree of heat. This 200 mark on the dial corresponds to the 200mark on the tube at projection N which is the point where the mercurymakes and breaks the first circuit.

The second circuit is made and the first is broken, as above described,as the mercury rises in the tube and a portion of the current from thesecond circuit is shunted or flows direct from the rockarm 1, which isarranged similar to rock-arm X, through the wires 14 and 15 to themagnet 16 from the dial U and it is arranged to draw its pointer 3 tothe 400 point of its dial, which corresponds to the degree marked on theglass tube at projection N IVhen the mercury reaches the cap-terminal I,a direct circuit is established from magnet Z by wires 17 and 18, whichmay be a continuation of wire U from the magnet Z to the magnet 19 ofthe dial 6, and from it to wire Z or a direct circuit around bothmagnets from wires U and the shunt-wire Z This magnet 19 is adapted tomove the pointer 3 of this dial U to the 500 mark upon it and may alsoring an alarm-bell as a signal of danger. lVhen the first circuit isbroken by the making of the second, the pointer of the first dial, whichis connected to it, falls back to its starting-point, and so also doesthe second pointer when the second circuit is broken by the making ofthe third; but, as before stated, the mechanism through which theelectric current acts to move the pointers is common in annunciators inuse and the particular mechanism I prefer to use for this purpose willform the subject of a future application, and consequently does not forma part of my present invention.

In the bottom of Fi 2 I show an electrode A, which extends from themercury through the socket. In some cases where an alarm only is desiredI use this method to make a circuit through the mercury and thecontacting terminal in the cap and dispense with the side connections inthe projections of the socket, in which case, supposing the divide inFig. 1 to be equipped with this bottom electrode instead of the sideconnection, the wire J of the circuit could be connected at any point ofthe bed-plate, as at (3, 7 or 8, and the circuit would be completethrough it to the bottom electrode. A copper electrode at this point isalso a good conductor of heat and would make the mercury slightly moresensitive. It is obvious that any number of journals or machines couldbe connected to the annunciator.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. An electric alarm-indicator for hot journals comprising a suitableglass tube containing a heat expanding and conducting fluid, a capsealed to the top of said tube, a contact-terminal adjustablelongitudinally in the tube through said cap, a non-conductive socketinclosing the lower portion of said tube, an electrode in the bottom ofsaid tube extending through said socket and in contact with theexpanding fluid, a circuit-wire connected with said cap contact-terminal, means for connecting the tube and socket to a journal-box orcap and annunciator apparatus and battery in the circuit-wire, and meansfor connecting the opposite end of the circuit-wire with the box or capor machineframe, as set forth.

2. An electric alarm--indicator for hot journals comprising a suitableglass tube containing a heat-expanding conductive fluid, a cap sealed tothe top of said tube, an adjustable contact-terminal in said capextending into said tube, a circuit-binding connection on saidcontact-terminal, a socket partially inclosing said tube, a projectionon said socket having a threaded perforation therethrough, a threadedplug fitting said threaded projection and extending into the socket,means for connecting a circuit-wire to said plug, contact pole-piecessecured in said tube in the path of the expanding fluid, and arranged toregister with said plugs, a circuitwire connected to saidcontact-terminals, a battery in said circuit, and an annunciatorapparatus in operative engagement therewith, as set forth.

3. The combination with a glass tube arranged and adapted to hold aheat-expanding, conductive fluid, preferably mercury, a cap sealed tothe top of said tube, a contact-terminal adjustable longitudinally insaid cap, a central perforation in the end of said contactterminal, aslot through the terminal piece into the said perforation, and abinding-screw threadedin the cap to extend through the said slot intothe perforation, as set forth.

a. The combination with the journal-box and shaft of a tube having abulb or enlarged portion at its lower end mercury in a said tube, a capsecured to its upper outlet, a conducting-stem threaded to screw throughsaid cap, a square end on the outer end of said stem, a hole extendinginto said stem a binding-screw threaded through said end into said hole,a non-conducting socket inclosing a portion of said tube, a projectionon said socket, a contact-terminal substantially as shown, through saidprojection and tube in the path of the mercury, a batterycircuit wireconnected to said terminals an annunciator apparatus also in saidcircuit and a perforation through said journal cap or box to the shaftor similar means for securing the socket and tube in juxtaposition tothe shaft, as set forth.

5. The combination with the tube and the mercury therein having the capand the adjustable contact-terminal, of a non-conducting socketinclosing a portion of said tube, one or more projections on saidsocket, perforations through said projections of two differentdiameters, an internal thread in the larger diameter, a plug adjustablyadapted to said perforations to extend through it, a square end on theouter portion of said plug adapted to receive a wrench, a hole in saidend, a binding-screw threaded through said end into said hole,conductive pole-pieces in said tube in the path of the mercury andarranged to register and contact with said plugs, and a battery -circuitand annunciator apparatus in electric contact with said terminals, asset forth.

6. The combination of the tube having the conductive, expansive fluidtherein, a cap secured to said tube having an adjustablecontact-terminal secured thereto, a non-conductive socket partiallyinclosing said tube, a plurality of projections on said socket,contactplugs threaded in said projections, contactpole terminals throughthe walls of said tube arranged in the path of said fluid and to contactwith said plugs, and annunciator apparatus, a stationary contact in saidannunciator, a line-wire from the lowest projection to said stationarycontact, a magnet adjacent to said stationary contact, a rock-armmake-andbreak contact arranged in operative relation to said magnet andstationary contact terminal a second wire containing a batteryconnecting the next lowest projection of said socket to the saidrock-arm, thereby making a line-circuit, a second rock-arm in contactwith a second magnet, a shunt from said magnet to' the second-namedline-wire, a third line-wire from the third lowest projection to thesecond-named rock-arm, whereby when said fluid contacts with the last orthird named tube terminal contact, the first circuit is broken and asecond is made through the last two named, a second magnet arranged inoperative relation to said second rock-arm, a line-wire from said capcontact-terminal to said magnet a battery in said linewire, a shunt fromsaid third-named line-wire to said second-named magnet, electricconnection be tween said rock-arms or circuits and theannunciator-pointer, a graduated dial, means for moving the pointer apredetermined distance over the dial, graduations on said tube at thecontact -terminal points corresponding with those on said dial, and aslot in said socket registering with said tube graduation, substantiallyas herein set forth.

7. The combination of the tube, having the pole-pieces and graduations,the cap having an adjustable contact-terminal, the mercury, the socketshaving a plurality of terminal contacts arranged at successiveelevations, an annunciator apparatus, a plurality of linewires from saidtube and socket thereto arranged to form a plurality of circuits, meansfor making and breaking successively the circuits as the said fluidrises in the tube, and v

